The invention pertains to a snap-acting mechanism for operating the valve member in three-way valves or the like.
For example, in cases of three-way valves with direct mechanical operation, the valve member is moved from is one end position to the other against the force of a spring via a button which may be connected to the valve member of the three-way valve. Due to the fact that in the one end position, the connection between a pressure medium source and a receiver, and in the other end position, the connection between the receiver and the atmosphere is produced, with regard to these known valve devices, it is unavoidable that over the entire stroke of the valve member, the pressure medium source and the receiver are connected with the atmosphere at the same time, which more or less causes loss of pressure medium during the switching phase according to switching speed.
Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a valve actuating mechanism for valve devices which enable sudden switching of the valve member, so that the pressure medium loss during the switching phase is reduced to a minimum.
A special advantage of the valve actuating mechanism according to the invention is the fact that aside from the reduction of pressure medium loss during the switching phase to an insignificant value, the operating force required to actuate the valve mechanism is also significantly lowered.